Luca could sense that Yuri was unhappy, but she did not say anything. She focused on watching the performance.

Rainie was the star ballerina. She attracted everyone's attention the moment she stepped on the stage.

The expressiveness of her facial expressions and her skilled elegant dance moves were a display of the dancing skills she had picked up over the years.

Luca picked up the camera and kept taking photos of Rainie dancing on the stage. At the same time, she noticed that something was wrong as she was sitting near the stage.

The stage was bright enough, and that was why Luca did not switch on the flash. It did not affect the photos' quality either.

The ballet performance lasted for 40 minutes. Luca heard Thea talking to Yuri after the dancers made their curtain calls, “Mommy, I want to get into the dance academy too. Sign me up please."

Yuri shot a glance at Luca. She was lowering her head and fiddling with the camera as though she was not paying attention to what the kid was saying. This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .

Yuri lowered her head and comforted her daughter. "Thea, be good. We'll talk about this after New Year."

"Why should we wait until New Year? We'll be having winter break soon. Mommy, if Rainie can perform on stage, so can I," Thea said competitively.

Yuri felt helpless when her daughter said so.

Not everyone could enter the dance academy Rainie was attending. The kids may take it as a hobby class, but the teachers in the academy would only select the candidates who had naturally given

talents and were willing to work hard.

Thea's ballet was not exceptionally good back then. Yuri went along with her daughter and signed her up for the admission interview. If her daughter was able to get into the academy, it would make Yuri look good as her mother.

However, Thea failed to pass the interview.

The teacher claimed that Thea's foundation was not strong enough, and they could not see any dancing talent in Thea. They suggested Thea head to other dancing schools to continue improving her dancing skills and wait for the next interview.

Still, Thea did not manage to get into the academy during the second interview.

However, one of the teachers was kind enough to tell Yuri that there was another way to pass the interview. She told her that if Thea could win a dance competition, then she would be able to enter the academy without going through the interview.

There was a ballet competition for kids after New Year. Yuri was thinking of getting Thea to win that competition.

The lights in the auditorium lit up once the dancers made their curtain call.

Luca stood up as the other audience members got up from their seats too. She had listened and understood what Yuri and her daughter were talking about. Thea's intention to enter the dance academy was not because she wanted to learn but because she did not want to lose to Rainie.

A child with such a competitive mindset usually learned it from her parents and elders in her family.

It was the same as before. The child would only grow up taking the wrong path if she grew up in such an environment.

However, it was not up to Luca to comment on such things.

She left Yuri and her daughter and headed backstage. Rainie was sitting on the dressing table chair, waiting for her teacher to help her untie her hair.

Luca walked toward her, got down at Rainie's eye level, and said, "Wow, Rainie, you're an awesome dancer!"

Rainie was delighted to see Luca. "Ms. Luca, is that true?"

“Yes. I took photos. You did a good job. Many uncles and aunts who were sitting around me were praising you," said Luca. She did not lie to Rainie. Although most of them kept silent, Luca was still able to hear people praising Rainie when she was performing.

"I was afraid that I couldn't perform well. I'm different from the other students, after all. I didn't have much time to practice..." said Rainie. A few students who performed on the stage were different from her.

They would practice dancing at the dancing academy every day, while Rainie had to focus on her studies. She could only practice dance at home at night and when she headed to the dance academy on the weekends.

Hence, a few students were unhappy with their teacher's decision of making Rainie the star ballerina. It was until the teacher asked Rainie to perform four difficult dance moves consecutively in front of everyone that they shut their mouths.

Rainie was gifted, and she did not need to put in too much effort to dance well. That was why her teacher gave her the chance.

However, Rainie was worried that she would ruin the performance as she did not have enough time to practice. She felt pressured, but she did not show it to the others.

"But you did a great job. Well done, Rainie. Even though you practiced less than the others, you were more focused and serious when you were practicing the dance. So, there's no need to feel insecure. You're good at it, and you'll improve in the future."

Luca knew the child did not fully devote herself to the performance on the stage, and that was why she deliberately encouraged her.

Rainie was her daughter. As her mother, she was able to notice every little change in her. "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie appreciated Luca's encouragement.

Luca rose to her feet and said, “Let me help you with your hair and remove your makeup."

“Okay." Rainie nodded. The teachers were very busy now, and they had no time to help her. Rainie usually needed someone to help her with these. She could not handle them well herself.

Rainie changed back into her clothes after her makeup was removed.

Luca took the bag filled with the ballet costume and pointe shoes from Rainie. She said, "Rainie, let me send you back to school."

“Ms. Luca, I don't have to go back to school," Rainie replied immediately.

“Huh?" Luca looked at her.

“Our teacher told us there are no classes in the afternoon. We don't have to go back to school," explained Rainie. This was the customary practice of the academy after the performance.

Luca was dumbfounded as she did not expect that.

She would have to take care of Rainie if she did not have to go back to the dance academy.

It was easy to take care of Rainie, but she thought Rainie was going back to the dance academy, so she already planned to meet Amur.

“Ms. Luca, do you have any plans? You don't have to worry about me if you're going somewhere else. But can you please inform Uncle Zander to pick me up?" Rainie was worried that she would ruin Luca's plan. That was why she said that.

Luca could not bear to see her child like that when she was being so sensible.

However, it would be difficult to meet Amur again. She had to return to the office and continue with her research tomorrow.

Luca decided to bring her daughter along with her. “It's okay. I'm going to meet a friend. He's my younger brother. Come on. Let's go meet him."

Rainie nodded and replied, “Okay Ms. Luca. I'll be good and behave myself. Don't worry."

The kids knew Luca had this so-called younger brother based on what Luke had told them before.

However, this man was unable to challenge their father's position in Luca's heart. Moreover, they had never met him before, so the three of them did not take Luca's brother seriously.

Furthermore, Lanie and Rainie had heard what Tommy told them, so they were unmindful about it.

Rainie did not expect she would be the first one to see their mother's so-called younger brother.

Luca laughed it off when she heard what Rainie said, and she replied, "Of course, I know you're the obedient child. That's why I never have to worry about you. I never have and never will. So, you don't have to say such things. You'll always be Mom—my little princess forever, alright?"